1. Field
This application relates generally to computer networking, and more specifically to a system, article of manufacture and method for setting network traffic flow quality of service (QoS) by modifying port numbers.
2. Related Art
Conventional methods of network services provide Quality of Service (QoS). Few non-limiting examples are based on COS values (layer 2 header) or TOS values (layer 3 header). Intermediate switches and routers can be configured to change these fields based on various parameters, a non-limiting example can be looking at the 5-tuple of the packet, 5-tuple consists of source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port, and protocol. Various network attributes such variable bit rate and delivery time may depend on various current states of the network such as the current traffic load.
Deep packet inspection is another non-limiting option to classify the flow and provide QoS. Intermediate devices (e.g. routers and/or switches) in the network may not be configurable to efficiently inspect the deeper layers of the data packets and provide QoS or priority according to their contents. Moreover, in-line deep packet inspection can increase networking latency, decrease throughput and reduce QoS.
Even if intermediate devices (e.g. routers and/or switches) can support deep packet inspection, customized classifying logic might not be present on these devices. Hence, this may require a customized software loaded on these intermediate devices, which is not very common.
Data packets are segmented when an application utilizes large packet sizes greater than the path MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit). Data packet segmentation can cause the header to be separated from the other segments of the data packet. Thus, conventional attempts to provide a QoS level based on current methods of inspecting data packet headers can be problematic. Accordingly, improvements can be made over conventional methods of setting network traffic flow QoS.